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User blog:Cfp3157/Wind River Review: Oozing with Dignity and Respect Despite Characterization Flaws
The bitter cold of the Wyoming mountains is palpable in the ferocious directorial debut from acclaimed screenwriter Taylor Sheridan. Everything about the film shows the man's abilities in the director's chair, provoking career-topping work from Jeremy Renner and drawing vieweres into this dangerous and unforgiving world. Despite Sheridan's occasional heavy hand and his usual weaknesses, this is undoubtedly the best of his career so far in terms of the overall product. More importantly, the film holds nothing back in its approach, allowing the brutality of the community and material shine in the best way. The Cast Sheridan proves himself to be an actor's director, with almost no discernible flaws in any performance, minus moments of overacting here and there. With entertaining supporting roles from a forever reliable Jon Bernthal, One Tree Hill's ''Kelsey Chow in a breakthrough performance as the murdered Native American woman Natalie, and a notable James Jordan, it's from his star Jeremy Renner he draws the most from. Elizabeth Olsen and Gil Birmingham are worth discussing, but it's Renner who remains the titan of this film. As the rookie FBI agent Jane Banner sent to investigate the murder of Natalie Hanson, Elizabeth Olsen tries her best. She can't really elevate the material, but she's far from terrible and delivers solid work; she's simply done better with less. In sharp contrast, Gil Birmingham is absolutely shattering as the father of the murdered, Martin Hanson. While stereotypically stoic and silent upon initial meeting, it's his wails of pain and the breakdown of a man surrendering to grief that will move any viewers to compassion. However, it's Jeremy Renner who deserves the highest praise. As Cory Lambert, the wildlife ranger who helps agent Banner, Renner gives the greatest performance of his career. Silently and stoically wearing his own grief on his shoulder, Renner allows the character to come to life in ways unseen from the actor before. Every moment Renner speaks, moves, or simply stands in the background, viewers want to discover more about this enigmatic character that Renner has brought to life. Score: 4 out of 5 The Script Despite highlighting the many strengths of Sheridan as a writer, this is also an example of his weaknesses. The film is engaging, vicious, and energetic, with the story flowing in a natural, powerful way. However, Sheridan does have the occasional monologue or flowery speech that contrasts with the characters he's written. More glaringly, his lack of strong female characters is well-seen here; Jane Banner is incredibly incompetent, taking the term "rookie" and blowing it way out-of-preportion, while Natalie gets very little to do other than be murdered. The film follows Cory Lambert, a ranger for the U.S. Wildlife and Fishing department, as he discovers the corpse of his longtime friend's daughter. As an outsider in a community of outsiders, he is forced to assist the sole agent sent to help uncover the truth of this murder. Despite trials and tribulations, Lambert also must confront the demons of his own past. Despite the premise bordering cliche, the film allows its merits to shine far above that. Sheridan obviously respects the challenges of the Native American commmunity, wisely telling the story from his own perspective of an outsider that can emphathize- but never truly know- their struggles. In addition, the plot itself has enough twists and turns to keep even engaged viewers surprised and following along with interest. Score: 4 out of 5 The Direction The technical merits of the film certainly shine, with Sheridan serving that he may have a better eye for directing than writing. He assembles a team to truly bring the environment to life, with the sheer vast emptiness and uncaring cold of the Wyoming mountains penetrating into each frame. Thanks in part to Sheridan's respectful but firm hand and several craftsmen at the top of their games, the film experienced is a lived in world. First and foremost, Ben Richardson has done what Emmanuel Lubezki tried to do with ''The Revenant; every snowflake, every frostbitten piece of bark, and every drop of frozen vapor penetrates into the theater. Every scene is captured and staged beautifully thanks to Richardson's work as the DP. Gary D. Roach does a fine job editing the film, with exception to the occasional moment of extended nature montage, but that's forgivable since it highlights another aspect of the filmmaking. Indeed, the post-production of the film deserves praise, with the sound mixing truly creating the atmosphere and tension that Sheridan sought to achieve. Score: 4.5 out of 5 Overall Verdict An absolutely thrilling murder mystery to behold, Wind River is the classic display of the strengths outweighing the weaknesses. The cast and crew does strong work on all fronts, while Sheridan has proven himself as a director. The amount of dedication and respect put into this film is evident in every frame, while still remaining an intriguing piece of fiction. Wind River is one of the most intense and powerful filmgoing experiences of the year, with no one holding back without seeming excessive and perfectly natural. Score: 83% Deserved Oscar Nominations: *Best Picture *Best Director for Taylor Sheridan *Best Lead Actor for Jeremy Renner *Best Supporting Actor for Gil Birmingham *Best Original Screenplay *Best Cinematography Category:Blog posts Category:Reviews Category:2017 Reviews